Effects of inactivated parapoxvirus ovis on the cumulative incidence of pneumonia and cytokine secretion in foals on a farm with endemic infections caused by Rhodococcus equi

The objectives of the present study were to determine if administration of inactivated parapoxvirus ovis (IPPVO) can decrease the cumulative incidence of pneumonia and increase the number of IFN-γ- and IL-4-secreting cells among foals. Fifty-nine foals were randomly assigned to 2 treatment groups (IPPVO or placebo) prior to birth. At 24-48 h of age, foals received 2 ml of either IPPVO or a placebo by intramuscular injection. Injections were repeated 24h and 8 days later. The number of IFN-γ- and IL-4-secreting cells was measured using a validated ELISPOT assay on blood mononuclear cells collected when the foals were 1-14 days old. Foals were monitored daily for clinical signs of pneumonia and biweekly for lung lesions by ultrasonography. The proportion of foals that developed clinical or ultrasonographic evidence of pneumonia was not significantly different between IPPVO (16 of 28) and placebo (14 of 31). IFN-γ- and IL-4-secreting cells were detected in only 22 and 15 foals, respectively. There was a significant effect of treatment with IPPVO on the number of IFN-γ secreting cells in foals 7- to 14-days-old but not in younger foals. There was no significant effect of treatment with IPPVO on the number of IL-4-secreting cells. The odds of detecting IFN-γ (5.1; 95% CI: 1.5-15) and IL-4 (3.5; 95% CI: 1.1-12) were significantly higher in foals 7-14 days than in younger foals regardless of treatment group. There was no significant association between IFN-γ or IL-4 secretion early in life and subsequent development of pneumonia.     

Feline urate urolithiasis: a retrospective study of 159 cases

The objective of the study was to characterize the signalment, clinicopathologic data, and diagnostic imaging of cats with urate urolithiasis, as well as the salts of uric acid present in the uroliths. A retrospective analysis of feline urate uroliths submitted to the GV Ling Urinary Stone Analysis Laboratory between 2000 and 2008 was included. From these data, records were assimilated from referring veterinarians (143); furthermore, all recorded cases from within the William R Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (16) were included. Median values for the complete blood count and chemistry panels available were within the reference intervals, when provided, with only a few outliers present. Of all cases evaluated, seven had a portosystemic shunt (PSS). Cats with urate uroliths and a PSS were younger than cats without a PSS (2 years vs 7 years). The pathogenesis of urate uroliths in cats is poorly understood. Most cats were not completely evaluated for a PSS, however, clinicopathologic parameters indicating hepatic dysfunction were seldom noted; more sensitive diagnostics such as serum bile acids were rarely performed to confirm or negate the presence of a shunt. Studies are warranted to evaluate pathogenesis of urate uroliths to tailor proper management and breeding strategies.     

Tectonics and evolution of venus

The global tectonics of Venus differs significantly from that of Earth, most markedly in that the surface is covered predominately by gently rolling terrain; there apparently are no features like ocean rises; the gravity is positively correlated with topography at all wavelengths; and the few highlands are estimated to be supported or compensated at a depth of approximately 100 kilometers. The surface of Venus appears to be covered mainly by an ancient crust, the high surface temperature making subduction difficult. It seems likely that well over 1 billion years ago water was destabilized at the surface and, soon after, plate tectonics ceased. The highlands appear to be actively supported, presumably as manifestations of long-enduring hot spots.     

A bacterium that can grow by using arsenic instead of phosphorus

Life is mostly composed of the elements carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and phosphorus. Although these six elements make up nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids and thus the bulk of living matter, it is theoretically possible that some other elements in the periodic table could serve the same functions. Here, we describe a bacterium, strain GFAJ-1 of the Halomonadaceae, isolated from Mono Lake, California, that is able to substitute arsenic for phosphorus to sustain its growth. Our data show evidence for arsenate in macromolecules that normally contain phosphate, most notably nucleic acids and proteins. Exchange of one of the major bio-elements may have profound evolutionary and geochemical importance.     

Inhibition of growth ofErwinia carotovora in vitro by phenolics

Summary The phenolic acids caffeic, cinnamic, ferulic, salicylic, sinapic, and vanillic, together with scopoletin and coniferyl alcohol, at concentrations of ≤1 mg/ml, variously inhibited growth ofErwinia carotovora in Nutrient Broth buffered to pH 6 by 0.2 M phosphate buffer. Chlorogenic acid at 1 mg/ml did not inhibit growth but it did so in agar diffusion bioassays at high concentrations (3–10 mg/well) probably by lowering of the pH of the agar.     

Effect of diet on preweaning performance of Sahiwal calves

The objective was to study the growth potential of Sahiwal calves given milk or milk replacer with or without concentrates. For this purpose, forty-eight Sahiwal calves were divided into four groups of 12 animals each with equal sex ratio. In each group, the calves were offered either milk or a milk replacer (MR) at a rate of 10% of their body weight adjusted weekly. In addition to this, calves were fed either a starter ration plus Egyptian clover hay (SR + H) or hay only (H) until the end of trial. The milk or MR was withdrawn gradually from day 56 until animals were weaned completely by day 84. Calves offered milk grew faster than those offered MR (357 ± 9 vs. 162 ± 9 g/day; p < 0.05) and displayed higher weaning weights (51.6 ± 0.8 vs. 35.2 ± 0.8 kg; p < 0.05). The calves offered SR + H grew faster (311 ± 9 vs. 208 ± 9 g/day; p < 0.05) and displayed higher weaning weights (48.7 ± 0.8 vs. 38.1 ± 0.8 kg; p < 0.05) than those fed H alone. Calves offered milk plus SR + H showed the highest growth rate and weaning weights (401 ± 13 g/day and 56.3 ± 1 kg, respectively). The lowest growth rate and weaning weights were observed in calves offered MR and H only (115 ± 13 g/day and 30.3 ± 1 kg, respectively). Calves offered the MR had higher number of scour days than those offered milk (13.5 vs. 3.3). The feeding of whole milk in combination with the starter ration and hay resulted in superior growth rates, higher weaning weights, and healthier calves than the other feeding regimens.     

Ionic thiocyanate (SCN(-)) production, fate, and phytotoxicity in soil amended with Brassicaceae seed meals

Brassicaceae seed meals produce ionic thiocyanate (SCN (-)), a bioherbicidal compound. This study determined the fate of SCN (-) in a field soil amended with seed meals of Sinapis alba, Brassica juncea, and Brassica napus and quantified crop phytotoxicity by monitoring carrot ( Daucus carota) emergence. Meals were applied at 1 or 2 t ha (-1), and soils were sampled to 35 cm for SCN (-). Maximum SCN (-) (211 micromol kg (-1) of soil) was measured at 5 days in 0-5 cm samples from plots amended with S. alba meal at 2 t ha (-1). Less than 30 micromol of SCN (-) kg (-1) of soil was measured at soil depths below 15 cm. At 44 days, SCN (-) was <15 micromol kg (-1) of soil in all treatments. Emergence inhibition of carrots seeded 15-36 days after meal amendment was found only in S. alba treatments. The rapid decrease of SCN (-) concentrations in Brassicaceae meal-amended soil indicates limited potential for off-site environmental impacts.     

The fate of the molluscicide N-tritylmorpholine following its use on pastures for the control of liver fluke

The molluscicide N-tritylmorpholine (FRESCON,

1 FRESCON is a Shell trade mark.

trifenmorph) is used for the control of the intermediate snail hosts of fascioliasis in livestock. Laboratory and field studies have been undertaken to establish the fate of the compound following its use on pasture. Radiochemical techniques have been used under laboratory conditions to identify the potential degradation products. The major one has been shown to be triphenylcarbinol. Triphenylcarbinol was detected on pastures treated at 0.4 to 0.5 kg/ha under practical conditions but the residues of it and of the parent molluscicide were generally below 0.3 mg/kg within 8 weeks of the application. On the pasture grass half of the initial deposit of N-tritylmorpholine was lost within 1 to 3 weeks and on soils it was lost within 1 to 4 weeks. Residues could not be detected in the tissues of sheep feeding on the treated pasture. Whilst small residues (0.023 mg/kg or less) were detected in the milk of some cows feeding on the pasture soon after application they were absent (below 0.002 mg/kg) in the milk at 10 days or more from treatment.